Surviving the heat

Now that the hot weather has finally arrived it is important everyone starts thinking about how to not only survive, but thrive in these conditions. While we can avoid training in the hottest part of the day, sometimes there is no escaping it and in fact it, training in it can offer many benefits. 

The main issues are preventing dehydration, heat stroke and sun burn.

When as little as a 2% drop in body weight, compared to your normal hydrated state, can result in reduced performance, it is important you don’t let poor planning sabotage your training. For me the key to optimising your training is to own your numbers and more importantly your hydration and nutrition plan for training.

Saturday rides are the biggest risk when we are out for 3-6hours. In winter I can go this distance on less than one bottle, but in summer it is a different story. Sometimes I need more than this just to get up Norton summit!  So, it is important that everyone has a plan. For me this means

• making sure I preload with a good-sized breakfast that includes a significant amount of fluid.
• Start with 2 x sports drinks (cordial) on my bike and I carry a sachet of sports drink powder and some electrolyte tablets ready for a refill
• When we stop to refill, I not only fill my bottle, but I also drink close to a biddon while I wait and then refill the bottle again for the ride
• I use electrolyte tablets in my water bottles as sodium offers advantages in fluid absorption and for increasing fluid consumption.
• During the ride It is important to have a plan for when to eat (every 30minutes from 2hrs) and drink (every 10-15minutes or so) once the weather warms up
• The biggest issue is when you have to run off the bike. If you haven’t kept up with your hydration you can almost guarantee dehydration will be a factor on your run as you lose sweat at a faster rate and it is not easy to stay hydrated during the run. So, I want to get off the bike with no more than a 1% loss.
• When I get home I check my weight to see how close it is to normal weight. The goal is to be within the 2% range. If it is more then I need to readjust my future plans. Urine colour while you are out riding (or if you go to the toilet at all) is a good early indicator of hydration status.
• Then the aim is to replenish fluid before heading out again on Sunday. As a rule of thumb the aim is to replace 1.5x your losses (with food and drink) over the 3-7hrs post session. Again, electrolytes are a better option here.  
• Then I check my weight and urine colour the next morning before I start my session to see if I am within normal ranges (hopefully within 200-500ml of normal hydration). Anything more and I am already starting behind the eight ball.

Tuesday and Thursday night is the other challenging night for hydration. While during the run it is unlikely you will lose enough in an hour to result in dehydration (unless you started the session dehydrated, don’t drink during or it is super-hot) the important element is rehydration post.  For me after a hot night I will drink

• 750ml in the car on the way home
• 500ml with my meal and
• another 750ml before bed

Heat stroke is a very serious condition. If you notice someone is not performing to their usual ability keep an eye on them and ask them how they are feeling as heat stroke is a significant risk over summer. While it is more likely to happen in races where we don’t have the ability to self-pace and stop for breaks, it is still important we all look out for each other as we are all a little crazy!

Otherwise remember to put on the sunscreen before you head out on a Saturday ride. Once it gets past 10-11am you will burn pretty quickly, so plan ahead.